Stakeholders agree on roadmap for WEFE nexus in GB, Pakistan
GILGIT: (PR) The Soni Jawari Center for Public Policy – Govt of Gilgit-Baltistan (SJCPP-GoP) in collaboration with International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Karakoram International University (KIU), and WWF-Pakistan organized a one-day workshop on Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus from concept to implementation in Gilgit, Pakistan. Head of SJCPP, Izhar Ali Hunzai, along with SJCPP staff, KIU faculty and students, IUCN, WWF-Pakistan and ICIMOD representatives participated in the workshop.
The Soni Jawari Center for Public Policy – Govt of Gilgit-Baltistan (SJCPP-GoP) in collaboration with International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Karakoram International University (KIU), and WWF-Pakistan organized a one-day workshop on Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus from concept to implementation in Gilgit, Pakistan. Head of SJCPP, Izhar Ali Hunzai, along with SJCPP staff, KIU faculty and students, IUCN, WWF-Pakistan and ICIMOD representatives participated in the workshop.
ICIMOD and its partners have conducted a comprehensive study on the WEFE nexus scoping in the upper Indus Basin. The purpose of this workshop was to share and discuss key findings of the study and WEFE nexus framework as an emerging integrated policy making and Programme development approach for sustainable natural resource management, and develop a road map for piloting WEFE nexus in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Izhar Ali Hunzai HEAD SJCPP termed the WEFE Nexus as a new and emerging concept yet highly relevant to Mountain regions and nature resource-based economics like Gilgit Baltistan. He said, “In GB, traditionally, we are used to silo sector approach to manage natural resources. However, we strongly need efficient and effective integrated approaches to better manage our resources”. He said that WEFE Nexus is an interesting policy and planning approach relevant to Gilgit-Baltistan.
Dr Babar Khan from ICIMOD while presenting WEFE nexus framework elaborated different aspects of integrated resource management approaches, and considered WEFE nexus as the most appropriate policy approach for GB in the context of change – climate and socio-economic change. Participants mapped WEFE tradeoffs and synergies among different WEFE components through interactive sessions. They also identified a road map along with WEFE nexus issues and solutions for GB, Pakistan. Ghulam Ali from ICIMOD said that like other participatory models, GB can demonstrate the WEFE nexus implementation potential through various pilots, which can be inspirational for the region”.
